Boston Celtics Need Fab Melo to Mature Quickly

Boston Celtics draftee and D-League player Fab Melo played for Syracuse. The Boston Celtics can’t find a big man to hang their hat on or to grab and clutch rebounds. The team lost forward/center Chris Wilcox for about a month when he sprained his thumb the other day in Chicago. He sat out the next two games and is now on the DL.

Some Help

The Celtics are bringing 6-foot-9 forward Jarvis Varnado onto the team. The Miami Heat drafted the 24-year-old in 2010 in the second round (41st overall). He spent time playing B-ball in Israel and Italy before going to the D-League this winter where he averaged 14 points, 10 rebounds and 3.9 blocks per game in 10 appearances for the Sioux Falls Skyforce.

Melo in the D League

Fab Melo, the 21st overall draft pick this year, is considered to be a potential superstar. But Melo, who played for the Syracuse Orange, is too raw for the NBA and was sent to the Maine Red Claws in the D-League. Although the drafting of Melo captured the imagination of many fans, his start in D-League play was lackluster. That is until recently.

Against the Erie Bay Hawks on Saturday, Melo had a triple-double as he scored 15 points, grabbed 16 rebounds and blocked 14 shots. That last stat, the 14 blocked shots, is a new D-League record for blocks in a single game. Still, when asked about Melo, Celtics coach Doc Rivers was noncommittal.

Melo Needs Time to Mature

Despite his great outing the other night everyone agrees that Melo needs a lot more time to get his game up to NBA standards. With that in mind, the Celtics are going to have to go with a makeshift frontcourt that includes undersized players like Brandon Bass and rookie Jared Sullinger.

Obviously, this is a trying time for the Green. They are now 14-13 and tied with Brooklyn for second in the Atlantic Division. In their last 10 games they have gone 5-5. The other night against the Chicago Bulls they dressed just 10 guys and that game went into OT. They lost it. It will be a long NBA season. I’m hoping that somehow the Celtics can get into the postseason healthy and energized. With their roster woes that won’t be easy.

Still, there’s Pierce, Rondo and Garnett along with shooters Lee and Terry. You’ve got some superstars and some guys who can deliver. But Boston still needs one more go-to guy and some depth on the bench.